Confederate oppression… there seems to be a trend here…

…for all the talk in Civil War “memory” about how wicked and oppressive the men in blue were, there seems to be convenient forgetfulness when it comes to how wicked and oppressive the men in gray could be. What is it that is said? For one finger pointing outward, indicating blame, there are usually three fingers pointing back?

Ultimately, opportunity existed for those with such inclinations, no matter the side. Granted, what follows isn’t about just that, but also includes perspective of Confederate impressment… yes, even as early as 1861.

From the August 7, 1861 issue of the Hagerstown Herald of Freedom and Torch Light…

THE FLIGHT OF UNION MEN. – The Union men of the border counties in Virginia continue to seek refuge in Maryland from the frightful tyranny which the rebels are practicing in that State. – Within the last week upwards of fifth have crossed the river from Berkeley and Morgan counties, leaving behind them their families and homes, to avoid being pressed into service. One of the number brought with him the following notice which he took from a blacksmith shop in Morgan county: –

NOTICE. – All the militia belonging to the 89th Regiment V.M., are ordered to meet at Oakland, on Monday next, as early as they can, in order to march to head-quarters, Winchester, forthwith and I would make a friendly request of those men that failed to go before for them to turn out now, like true-hearted Virginians, and what they have done will be looked over, but if they do not regard this call they will work their own ruin. They can never be citizens of Virginia, and their property will be confiscated. The General will send troops of horse to Morgan as soon as we leave, and all those men that fail to do their duty will be hunted up, and what the consequences will be I am unable to say.

Sam’l Johnston,
July 24, 1861 Col. 89th Regiment V.M.

Just one isolated incident? Not quite.

Consider also the account left to us by Briscoe Goodhart of Loudoun County.

Less than half of the Waterford company obeyed the call to be mustered into rebel service. The company at Lovettsville sent ten men, and but four men went from the Hoysville company. Those that refused to array themselves under the rebel banner were Union men and courted the displeasure of the secessionists, and must be severly disciplined. A bitter war of ostracism and revenge was resorted to. Quite a number of Union men had been particularly demonstrative and had not hesitated to express themselves for the Union and its flag on every occasion. This class was threatened with punishment or arrest.

It will be remembered that a large portion of the citizens of Loudoun County were intensely loyal to the National Government. Many of them were willing to and some did suffer death rather than take up arms against the United States. They were generally comfortably situated, by industry and economy had accumulated a fair share of this world’s goods, and in maintaining their unswerving loyalty to the Union necessarily indicated a self sacrifice on their part of their property.

From Union citizens, who preferred to leave the State and all that was near and dear to them rather than go into the rebel army, their property, excepting their lands, was generally taken by that army.

They left their families in Loudoun, and if ever found visiting them they would be arrest and cast into a Southern prison, where their chances of lifer were very poor.

In December, 1861, William Smith, Armistead Magaha, Emanuel Ruse, and Isaac C. Slater had come from Maryland to visit their families, and on returning had got to the ferry opposite Berlin (now Brunswick), where they were arrested as spies, taken to Richmond and confined in Libby prison, where they almost starved to death. Slater, who was young and delicate, was reduced almost beyond recognition, and was years after his release regaining his health and strength.

In April, 1861, the galling yoke of secession was made still more oppressive to the Union citizens of Loudoun. The Loudoun Cavalry (Confederate) visited the farmers in the German and Quaker settlements, taking teams for the Confederate army. From many farmers a team of four horses and a wagon were taken, but where farmers were found with less than that number, one or two horses, or even one horse would be taken, and a wagon from others; thus making a complete four horse team from one or two small farmers. This property was taken with the promise that it would be returned, but this promise, like other promises of the Confederacy, was never fulfilled, neither did any of the citizens receive any compensation for the property thus taken, and taken at a time when the Confederacy had money to pay for supplies, if they had been actuated by honest motives.

Is your point that patriots regardless of which side always acted in a manner that support the cause they believed in. Isn’t the area your are speaking of known as the “Shenandoah Valley” which the part known as the lower valley that became West Virginia? I am not surprised to know that there existed strong union feelings as well as strong confederate support This is where General Jackson and his foot-calvary stepped into history.

Western Carolina and Eastern Tennessee were also unionist areas that suffered under confederate oppression; exactly as coastal Carolina and western Tennessee suffered union oppression. . There was imprisonment of traders on both sides.

To view the competing ideologies in terms of “honest motives” and just punishment is to miss what did exist and that was passion of the participants. Inflamed with the heat of ones beliefs honest motives and justice in its purest form is sidestepped and conformed into support of ones beliefs.
To see the horrors and sins committed by both unionist and confederates look to bleeding of Kansas and Missouri including General S Price Missouri invasion of 1864 and his defeat at mine creek Kansas.

First, my reason for posting these items stems, in part, from an interest in Civil War “memory”. Too often, among people in contemporary times, there is an idea that South = Confederacy, and, over the years since the war, that Southhas become more Confederate than what it really was. This trend has often buried the complexities of what actually existed then.

Second, my focus in this blog is generally on the Shenandoah Valley (from Augusta County to Berkeley and Jefferson counties), and sometimes into the lower Cumberland Valley (Hagerstown area). In some instances, I slide across the Blue Ridge into those counties on the east side. The horrors revealed in other areas is often far greater than what was realized in this area, but, again, my focus is on this area.

I’m not quite sure I understand your remarks in the third paragraph of your comment. Please clarify, are you talking about them, then, or me as I present this post?

I did not realize civil war memory reflected the concept that South = Confederacy, and, over the years since the war, that South has become more Confederate than what it really was. Perhaps I do not understand what the confederacy was or to be a confederate means.
To me the southern confederacy was attempt by the southern peoples to gain independence from oppressive government in the spirit of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
I regret that I was not aware the focus here was the Shenandoah Valley.

To clarify in the third paragraph I imagined how it may have been for those who participated in those turbulent events one hundred and fifty years ago.

Of course they (confederacy) used oppressive approaches and coercive actions to gather support for their “Cause”; isn’t this how all governments function.

I FEAR the power of the government as the unionist citizens of Loudoun may have feared and suffered the abuses of confederate authority.

Sidebar — ‘Shenandoah Valley (from Augusta County to Berkeley and Jefferson counties), and sometimes into the lower Cumberland Valley (Hagerstown area). In some instances, I slide across the Blue Ridge into those counties on the east side.’

Is this the area that General Sheridan and his Army of the Shenandoah put to the sword and destroyed in summer of 1864? Was General Sheridan more kind and considerate to Loudoun unionist than to rebel supporters or did both suffer oppressive approaches and coercive actions without any care for their loyalties to the union or confederacy?

I have read the destruction was so complete ‘so that crows flying over it for the balance of the season will have to carry their own provinder.” U.S. Grant

“Of course they (confederacy) used oppressive approaches and coercive actions to gather support for their “Cause”; isn’t this how all governments function.”

That’s your opinion, and I disagree with it. Begin to take care in your comments. If this slides into modern politics, I will not post your remarks.

“I FEAR the power of the government as the unionist citizens of Loudoun may have feared and suffered the abuses of confederate authority.”

While what your concerns and “fears” are, are your own (and, again, take care here… I don’t want to hear what they are… and if it slips into a rant about modern politics, your time permitted to comment here comes to an end), I sincerely doubt that you have a comparable situation with the level of the experiences endured by Southern Unionists. By comparatives, I ask you…

1) were you threatened during the last (or are you being threatened over the upcoming) election, that if you vote your conscious, you will be facing death?

2) Has your state seceded, against your interests (the concept of Union being the focus), and is your state, therefore, at war against the principles and country that you actually embrace?

3) Have persons acting under government authority raided your house, and taken your car(s) and produce (if you grow any), without any promise of payment?

4) Are you a refugee from the place that you once called home?

Just what is your base of knowledge when it comes to Southern Unionists?

“Is this the area that General Sheridan and his Army of the Shenandoah put to the sword and destroyed in summer of 1864?”

Beginning in Staunton, in June (after victory at Piedmont), David Hunter torched government buildings producing supplies for the Confederacy, and other related points of supply, including a barn in western Augusta that had quite a few uniforms in it. After that, he headed toward Lexington, burned secession-supporting Gov. Letcher’s residence, VMI (mostly because of New Market, but under the protest of Henry DuPont), and a couple other places. Hunter’s efforts fizzled at Lynchburg, after being defeated. Meanwhile, Mosby’s Confederacy was impacted by Sheridan’s activities. In the Fall, Sheridan continued destroying sources of grain and the like in the upper Shenandoah, through to the lower central Shenandoah. That was war.

“Was General Sheridan more kind and considerate to Loudoun unionist than to rebel supporters or did both suffer oppressive approaches and coercive actions without any care for their loyalties to the union or confederacy?”

Now you’re baiting me. I know the answer. You tell me what you know, and we’ll see where that may or may not go.

“I have read the destruction was so complete ‘so that crows flying over it for the balance of the season will have to carry their own provinder. U.S. Grant”

Like I said, that was war… and, by the way, the majority of my family lived through that, so you’re not telling me anything about which I’m not already aware.

Your four points very interesting; I never thought of the possible experiences of southern Unionist to live under such conditions not knowing if or when some act of senseless violence and or other abuses would occur is to live in a state of terror. Thanks for opening my eyes.

My knowledge of southern unionist and their experiences is limited.

I thought Sheridan completely destroyed the valley leaving a path of total ruin apparently this is a mistake according to your information only items that provided ideological and physical support for the confederacy were destroyed. I take it Hunter and Sheridan were the same campaign but operated in separate areas of the valley at different times.

Martinsburg and Shepherdstown are in the lower valley, Harrisonburg is central valley and Staunton & Waynesboro is the upper valley. You mentioned, Mosby’s Confederacy was also part of the valley too. I had no idea this was the area that so much happened. No wonder southern unionist suffered such debased aggression here. Again thank you for the information.

As you can read my knowledge of events under discussion is limited to a fault. Any thing I say is speculation. I assume President Lincoln felt sorrow about not being able to provide support to southern unionist and reflected this concern to the union generals to show consideration to southern peoples loyal to the union. I assume that union generals commanding the invasion of the south acted out of the necessities of the moment without regard toward property and personal rights of loyal southern unionist.

“Your four points very interesting; I never thought of the possible experiences of southern Unionist to live under such conditions not knowing if or when some act of senseless violence and or other abuses would occur is to live in a state of terror. Thanks for opening my eyes.”

If you haven’t done so already, please take note of my Southern Unionists blog, which you can see a link to in the right-hand sidebar (Southern Unionists Chronicles). I don’t keep it as active as this blog, but there is additional information there that you may find of interest.

“I thought Sheridan completely destroyed the valley leaving a path of total ruin apparently this is a mistake according to your information only items that provided ideological and physical support for the confederacy were destroyed. I take it Hunter and Sheridan were the same campaign but operated in separate areas of the valley at different times.”

Hunter was active from late May through June (after Sigel’s failure at New Market); Sheridan from Sept. – Oct. 1864. Sheridan did extensive damage to barns, mills, and the like, essentially striking at the ability to feed the Confederate army; so, certainly, being called “Breadbasket of the Confederacy” had its down-sides. Incidentally, when one area of the central Valley was revisited by a Confederate cavalry division, in the hopes of wintering over there later that year, it was impossible, as there wasn’t enough grain to feed the horses.

“Martinsburg and Shepherdstown are in the lower valley, Harrisonburg is central valley and Staunton & Waynesboro is the upper valley. You mentioned, Mosby’s Confederacy was also part of the valley too. I had no idea this was the area that so much happened. No wonder southern unionist suffered such debased aggression here. Again thank you for the information.”

“Mosby’s Confederacy” does creep over into the Valley (especially Clarke and Warren counties), but Loudoun, Fauquier, and that area to the east are outside the Valley.

“As you can read my knowledge of events under discussion is limited to a fault. Any thing I say is speculation. I assume President Lincoln felt sorrow about not being able to provide support to southern unionist and reflected this concern to the union generals to show consideration to southern peoples loyal to the union. I assume that union generals commanding the invasion of the south acted out of the necessities of the moment without regard toward property and personal rights of loyal southern unionist.”

What’s interesting about the interaction between Union forces and Southern Unionists is that it appears the Unionism remained, despite it all. Certainly, some families who initially sat on the fence, may have been compelled to finally act in favor of the Confederacy. It’s very complex, but worth the time spent investigating further. Regarding Lincoln and Southern Unionists, some believe that he overestimated Unionism in the South, but I think it was just a matter of him not entirely understanding the various levels of Unionism, considering many who firmly embraced it, even to the beginning of the war, turned to the Confederacy in anticipation of military force being used to suppress secession.

On a closing note, I have to say, some of your comments being what they were, up until now, began sounding like someone who might be cloaking his/her true motivations behind commenting, and I began to suspect overly zealous feelings about the Lost Cause. Therefore, my responses may have been more from a defensive posture, taking care to keep the exchange in-check. I was mistaken, and I apologize. Therefore, I look forward to further comments.

I have always found this quote about the Confederate Cav’s action during Sherman’s march interesting…

” April 4th. Aunt Bet started to-day for Aiken with a carriage, two wagons, one cart, one donkey cart, two cows and an outrider, – quite a cavalcade! We heard today that two of the ring leaders from Pineville went to the Gunboat and told how they had been treated, whereon the officers had them put in irons and sent to Charleston, and told them, if they had only known it, they would have sent a company to help the white men. We received numerous letters from Aiken this morning by the return wagons. I am sorry to say that Wheeler’s men have done us more damage than the Yankees. I did not mind it at first when I thought they had only taken things needed, but I do blame them very much for their wanton destruction of property that they ought to protect. It is a shame and they ought to be exposed.”

Yes, good information, and a fact too often overlooked. No doubt, “memory” will attribute all the damage done (if anyone still recounts damages done from this particular account) to the Federal troops, and nothing at the hands of the Confederates, who were “fighting bravely to ward off ‘those people.'”